Trend-topping tiny furnished gardens enchant young and old

3/20

Louis DeLuca/Staff Photographer

Fairy gardens in bowls are available at Covington's Nursery and Landscape. Fairy and gnome habitats can be set up in shallow dishes, glass terrariums and at the bases of trees on carpets of velvety moss.

One of my fondest memories of my now-grown son’s childhood involves his preschool fixation with the David the Gnome cartoon show. He never missed it. One day, on a whim, I fashioned tiny furniture from twigs and hid the pieces under some backyard bushes. At an opportune time, my husband “accidentally” tossed a baseball to just the right spot under the shrubs and sent the 4-year-old to retrieve it.

“We have gnomes! We have gnomes! I found their house!” our little boy came running, yelling excitedly. I was rocked with joy.

Gnomes, elves and fairies are the stuff of entertainment going back centuries, the inspiration for folk tales, poetry, Shakespearean plays, cartoons and, now, one of the hottest garden trends going. Miniature gardens, often called fairy gardens, are in vogue, with an abundance of tiny statuary, furnishings and supplies popping up at garden shops and online sources, and a growing fan base of all ages.

The concept: pint-size plants incorporated in a themed vignette of miniature landscaping elements (such as tiny pebbles, moss and twigs), whimsical dollhouse-size furniture, decorative accessories and tiny figurines. Fairy gardening is suitable for either open-dish gardens in shallow vessels or lidded transparent containers, usually glass, called terrariums. The small scale makes it easy to manage and is key to the charm.

“It’s a resurgence of a trend from years ago,” says Josh Addison, manager of Redenta’s Garden in Dallas. “It gives people a way to bring their garden indoors when the weather is cooler. We do a lot of custom miniature gardens for gifts. It’s especially good for people who can’t get out,” he says.

Mary Wilhite, co-owner of Blue Moon Gardens near Edom in East Texas, is one of the first area retailers to carry fairy garden merchandise. “As you get older, gardening becomes more difficult. This is a way to downsize, and it is easy to maintain,” she says. “It’s a great thing to do with kids and grandkids. Children love them. It’s just their size.”

The longtime North Dallas garden store sponsored a contest in October, inviting customers to bring their home-crafted fairy-themed gardens to the store.

“We had an amazing turnout,” Rosen says. “Both found and store-bought objects were used, and lots of different containers, including a pumpkin and a wood wine box that housed a tiny vineyard. We will definitely have a contest again next year.”

“Even if you don’t have a child to share it with, it’s a way to go back to your childhood,” says Vickie Gumz, greenhouse manager of Jackson’s Home & Garden. “It’s fun to play with little things.”

She’s right. Gnome hunts kept my little boy occupied for a long time after that special day many years ago. If I had the selection of darling tiny garden decor then that is available now, I would have outfitted a whole gnome village. I look forward to round two of miniature gardening with grandchildren someday.

Valerie Jarvie is a Dallas freelance writer.

Where to buy fairy garden elements

Archie’s Gardenland, Fort Worth

Blue Moon Gardens, Chandler

Brumley Gardens, both Dallas locations

Covington’s Nursery, Rowlett

House Nursery Outlet, Kaufman

Jackson’s Home & Garden, Dallas

Merry Gardens, Athens

Nicholson-Hardie Garden Center, Dallas

North Haven Gardens, Dallas

Plants & Planters, Richardson (March)

Redenta’s Garden, Dallas and Arlington

Ruibal’s, Dallas Farmers Market

On the Internet

efairies.com

fairyhomesandgardens.com

fairywoodland.com

miniature-gardens.com

thefairysgarden.com

twogreenthumbs.com

Make your own

Look for plants in the terrarium, houseplant or tropical foliage section of garden stores. Suitable varieties grow slowly to only a few inches tall or can be pruned to stay small, such as bonsai trees. Make sure to choose plants that all have the same light and water requirements and know before you purchase plants what kind of light your designated spot can provide. Succulent plants such as cacti and aloe vera need very little water. Tillandsias, or air plants, need only occasional misting (and, in fact, need no soil). Preserved moss is a dried natural product that needs no care.

For a dish garden, a flat, shallow, waterproof ceramic dish or a wood box 3 to 4 inches tall works well. Drainage holes are necessary if the dish garden will be outdoors most of the year. Indoors, with careful watering, you can get by with a container without drainage holes if moisture seepage underneath is a concern, utilizing activated charcoal to deter mold.

You also can create your garden in an enclosed glass container with a lid, a terrarium, which can be opened to vent moisture.

Select accessorizing furnishings and figurines made from waterproof materials, especially for outdoor gardens.

To assemble, start with a 1/2-inch layer of small gravel, tiny colored stones or decorative crushed glass. Place landscaping cloth or a coffee filter cut

to fit over the rock layer to prevent soil from sifting into the rocks, tucking the edges under so it does not show. Include more layers of rock in different colors and texture, if you wish, using the cloth or filter between each layer. Next, spread a fine layer of activated charcoal to absorb moisture and prevent fungus or mold growth. Last, add 2 inches or more of potting soil before planting and arranging furnishings and landscaping features.

Water and fertilize the plants only as needed. With care, miniature gardens can be maintained for many years.

Published in 2012, Fairy Gardens: A Guide to Growing an Enchanted Miniature World by Betty Earl (B.B. Mackey Books) contains 103 colorful photographs along with information on building or buying accessories for these trendy fantasy gardens.

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